US EditionPunch the Monkey Makes a Friend
Punch, abandoned at birth, clings to an IKEA stuffed orangutan to aid his social reintegration, delighting visitors and becoming a viral sensation at Ichikawa City Zoo.
- On Feb 20 at Ichikawa City Zoo, a baby Japanese macaque named Punch was abandoned by his mother at birth and keepers provided an orange, bug-eyed stuffed orangutan sold by IKEA as comfort.
- Kosuke Shikano, zookeeper, suspects extreme heat in July caused Punch's mother to abandon him after he was born seven months ago and an onlooker alerted zookeepers.
- After trying substitutes, keepers settled on the orange, bug-eyed stuffed orangutan; Punch drags the oversized cuddly toy everywhere and has rarely been seen without it.
- The pair turned the monkey enclosure into a must-see attraction, drawing visitors after viral videos, while zookeepers say Punch is steadily integrating with the troop.
- Looking ahead, Shikano said `I think there will come a day when he no longer needs his stuffed toy` as staff chose the stuffed orangutan for reintegration with the troop of Japanese macaques.
33 Articles
33 Articles
Punch was rejected by his mother – and closed to the heart by the world. A primate researcher explains why the little monkey clings to his cuddly animal.
The Japanese monkey Punch resides in the zoo of the city of Ichikawa, on the outskirts of Tokyo, after the departure of his mother seven months ago.The specialists of the site provided the animal with a fabric doll to ensure its safety and the strengthening of its muscles in the absence of maternal protection.The case gained international relevance through videos and transformed the animal into the main attraction of the park.The story of PunchT…
Punch is a Japanese poppy kid born in July 2025 at the Ichigawa Zoo of Japan, and his mother did not take care of him after his birth, and he was taken away by the zoo staff, who fed Pancha milk from a bottle and gave him a teddy orangutan from IKEA to make him feel safer.
A baby monkey from a Japanese zoo has conquered the hearts of online users with his sad story, but now his story has a happy ending.
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